1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to toddler shoes, and more particularly to toddler shoes with squeakers that can be turned on or off.
2. Background and Related Art
Toddlers are young children who are in the process of learning to walk. Parents of toddlers often wish to protect their children's feet, and may use shoes to do so. Shoes may also serve an ornamental purpose. Some toddler shoes may include a squeaker or other noisemaker, commonly in the heel portion of the sole of the shoe. The squeaker or other noisemaker provides aural feedback to the toddler when the toddler walks, which is believed to encourage toddlers to walk and further serves to alert nearby adults as to the location of the child.
Existing shoe designs that incorporate squeakers or other noisemakers have certain problems. While the squeaker or other noisemaker can be fun or assistive at times, it can be distractive and unwanted at others. If the squeaker or other noisemaker is not removable, parents or caregivers can find the noise tiresome over time, or inappropriate in certain circumstances. Some manufacturers have turned to making the squeaker or other noisemaker removable. Having the squeaker or other noisemaker removable, however, may affect the functional characteristics of the shoe, potentially leading to instability or other problems.